'Sierra Leone has fully understood Saudi Arabia's reasoning for banning Haj pilgrims from our country in line with World Health Organization (WHO) directives' he said.

The envoy conceded that Sierra Leone has been battling the deadly Ebola virus and that countries have a right to take preventive measures to stop such outbreaks in their countries especially where there are large gatherings.

'We hope the Kingdom helps us in combating and eradicating the Ebola virus and hope that our people will be able to perform Haj in 2015' said the envoy.

'We need the Kingdom's support in fighting this deadly disease that is rutheless killing West Africans in large numbers.'

Sierra Leone's president Ernest Bai Koroma had instructed embassy officials in Riyadh to meet with Saudi authorities to express gratitude for their concern for international pilgrims and to acknowledge WHO directives.

The Sierra Leone president also hailed the Grand Mosque expansion project.